Iran, world powers edge towards nuclear deal, but major issues remain

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) and Hossein Fereydoun, the brother of the Iranian president, talk during abreak onto a balcony of the Palais Coburg Hotel, where the Iran nuclear talks meetings are being held in Vienna on July 11, 2015. (AFP Photo/Joe Klamar) / AFP

Iran and six world powers are closing in on a historic nuclear deal. However, unresolved issues still remain between the sides and no agreement is expected to be announced on Sunday.

"We still have got work to do and no deal will be announced
on Sunday ... also there will be no extension after
tomorrow," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif
told reporters.

Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi has said that Tehran and
P5+1 group (the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany)
have agreed on most technical issues and annexes to a possible
nuclear deal.

"Technical discussions are almost over and the text regarding
the technical issues with their annexes is almost finished,"
Salehi is cited as saying by Iran's ISNA news agency.

According to Reuters, the diplomats close to the talks say the
most difficult remaining issues in the negotiations are not
technical, but political.

Earlier in the day, diplomats interviewed by TASS said that the
long-awaited deal which would curb the Iranian nuclear program in
return for sanctions relief is likely to be signed on Sunday or
on Monday.

However, some officials are issuing more cautious statements. A
senior US State Department official stressed that it’s still
early to call the Iranian nuclear accord a done deal.

“We have never speculated about the timing of anything during
these negotiations, and we're certainly not going to start now –
especially given the fact that major issues remain to be resolved
in these talks,” the official said in an emailed comment to
Reuters.

A high-ranked senior Iranian official told the ISNA news agency
that “hard work continues” in Vienna and the deal shouldn’t be
expected on Sunday.

"Reaching an agreement is logistically impossible, also because
necessary preparations cannot be made tonight," he stressed.

The current round of marathon talks in Vienna has gone into the
third week, already missing several deadlines.

Iranian nuclear program has been a source of tension for nearly a
decade, with the West refusing to believe Tehran’s claims that it
needs atomic energy for peaceful purposes only. They suspect Iran
of trying to create a nuclear bomb.

Earlier on Sunday, US Secretary of State, John Kerry, said the
talks between Iran and the world powers “we're getting to
some real decisions."

"So I will say, because we have a few tough things to do, I
remain hopeful. Hopeful," Kerry stressed.

French Foreign Minister Laurent also expressed hope the
negotiations “are finally entering the final phase.”

"I believe it. France's position has been one of constructive
firmness and I hope it will allow us to reach the end now,
quickly, for a satisfying result," Fabius said.

An unnamed official from the Iranian delegation also told Reuters
on Sunday that “the deal is within reach today.”

The sides have given themselves until Monday to reach a
compromise, with Iran accusing the West of throwing up new
stumbling blocks to the deal.

There’s also opposition towards the nuclear deal among US
lawmakers as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned that
it would be problematic for US President Barack Obama to win
Congressional approval for any Iranian accord now under
discussion.

"I think it's going to be a very hard sell, if it's
completed, in Congress. We already know it's going to leave Iran
as a threshold nuclear state," the Republican senator told
Fox News.